Aiming apparatus



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Patented June 6, 1944 AIMING APPARATUS Albin Gerstenberger, Zella-Mehlis in Thuringia,

Germany; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Application July 7, 1941, Serial No. 401,387 In Germany September 12, 1940 4 Claims.

The invention relates to an aiming apparatus, that is, to a device which serves for teaching the aiming, through notch and sight, with harmless means, to persons who are unexperienced in using fire-arms. These means are made similar to rifles or pistols, so that the persons who practise the aiming become acquainted with the handling of such arms, the manner of levelling and the steady overcoming of the trigger resistance at the shooting. Further the aiming point on the target is not only determined by observation, but marked on the target by the aiming apparatus itself. Further it is material to be able to recoghize, examine and correct the aiming errors occurring at the practising.

The invention relates particularly to an aiming apparatus with an aiming arm and with a target yieldably coupled with the arm in which the aiming arm is equipped with a marking device to be cocked, released by means of the trigger, and pushed against the target by the action of springs.

According to the invention the marking needle striking the target in the direction of the shot is movable in the line of sight determined by the zero position of notch and sight, which means that the path of the marking needle after the pulling of the trigger of the aiming arm extends in the direction of and in this line of sight. By the guiding of the marking needle according to the invention in front of the target in the line of sight given by the point blank position, all the inconveniences of the known devices of similar kind are avoided, and especially an extremely simple construction of the aiming apparatus is ensured and in any case perfect indication ofthe aiming results, so that to the person who shoots, a real picture of his aiming practices is given, from which he can learn.

According to another feature of the invention, front and rear sight and marking needle are mounted on a bar movable on the barrel parallel to the line of sights and are moved all together towards the target, that is in the shooting direction.

According to an embodiment of the invention the marking needle is formed by the upper edge of the front sight extended in forward direction. This form of construction possesses the special advantage, that only two points to be brought into register, namely front and rear sights, are provided, whereas usually three points, notch, sight and marking needle have to be brought into register.

According to another embodiment of the invention the marking needle during the aiming is situated outside the line of sight but rises after actuation of the trigger instantaneously into the line of sight, so that it hits the target accurately in the direction of the line of extended sight.

In such a construction, inasmuch as the marking needle is hidden from View during aiming, its presence does not disturb the operators vision.

Finally, in order to ensure the required distance between the aiming armv proper and the target carrier, and to enable at the same time a very extensive movability of the fire-arm, relative to this targetcarrier, the aiming arm is coupled with the target carrier according to a further feature of the invention by a guide which can be easily detached from the aiming arm and target carrier, and ensures the required constant dis,- tance between aiming arm and target, and otherwise allows of the aiming movements of the arm without transmitting the same upon the target.

Another feature of the invention relates to a controlling device for .registering the aiming errors, adapted to be mounted on the aiming apparatus according to the invention but also to be used on other arms.

Good shooting performances require, besidesv control of will and body, chiefly the careful learning of aiming, which means the capability to bring the individual elements of the aiming arrangement, i. e. notch and sight, into a predetermined relation. The careful learning of aiming presupposes that the rifleman learns with certainty to see the aiming errors, in order to avoid the same. For the most part aiming errors are represented on boards or by auxiliary apparatus intended to show to 'the practising person the correct and wrong positions of notch and sight. Beyond this teaching activity the invention solves the problem of providing an apparatus which, as already mentioned, is preferably mounted on the aiming arm of the apparatus and which during the aiming gives a signal to the rieman as soon as he makes an aiming error. Hereby the recognizing of aiming errors is very much facilitated and learning of correct aiming is accelerated. Also for the instructor of aiming this registering device of aiming errors according to the invention is of advantage as, when he looks through the aiming mirror (not shown)' which in most instances is placed on the rifle, he can easily and with certainty recognize the aiming errors. v

Further particulars and characteristic features of the aiming apparatus according to the invention can be seen from the accompanying drawings and from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig, l shows by way of example a form of construction of the aiming apparatus according to the invention the aiming arm being shown in side elevation partly in section and the target carrier in side elevation.

Fig. 2 andY 3 show each a part of the aiming apparatus with the marking needle adapted during the aiming proceeding to be moved out of the line of sight, the aiming apparatus being uncocked in Fig. 2, the marking line being in the line of sight and in Fig. 3 the aiming apparatus is cocked fthe marking needle being moved out of the line of sight.

Fig. 4 shows diagrammatically the device for controlling the aiming errors and Fig. 5 the correct position and Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive the Wrong positions of notch and sight and Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view of the slotted target support and connecting pin.

In theA aiming apparatus shown in Fig. 1 the aiming arm proper is shown as rifle but it may be quiteas well a pistol.

In the aiming arm shown in Fig. l the marking needle 3, the front sight d, and the rear sight 5 are xed on a bar I which is mounted in a guide. groove 2a provided on the barrel 2, as shown in Figs. 2 and .3, the sight 4 itself being constructed as marking needle 3 in that the upper edge of the sight is somewhat lengthened in forward direction.

. The rear portion Ia of bar I slides in the sleeve head 6 and in the sleeve 'I. Onto the rear reduced end of the bar I namely on the part Ia of this bar is pushed the mainspring 8, the rear end of this mainspring being supported in a bore of the breech block 9.

On the rear end la of bar I a catch piece Ill is Xed, the notch of the catch piece serving for holding the nose of the catch piece I I. This nose of the catch piece II is designated by IIa. The catch piece I I cooperates with the trigger I2 in such a way that when the trigger I2 is operated the nose II a gradually moves out of the catch of the catch piece I until this piece and the bar I are liberated.

A bolt I3 with buffer spring is further mounted in the sleeve head 6 and the function of this bolt will be hereinafter described in the description of the manner of operation of the aiming apparatus.

The forward and backward movement of bar I is limited by a screw lli, which extends through a slit 2b in the barrel 2 and is screwed into the bar I.

The trigger and guiding mechanism is connected with .the rifle stock Il by holding screws I5 and I.

The rear sight 5 serves as handle for returning bar I into the cooking-position.

In front of the aiming arm above described is arranged target holder. The target proper 2I is backed by a plate 22 of hard rubber or of other suitable material. Disc 2I and plate 22 are mounted on a link 23 so that they can be easily exchanged, the link being connected by a parallelogram of link rods 24 with a clip 25 of the tripod, this clip being adjustable and adapted to be secured in the adjusted position on the tripod tube 26. On the link which carries the disc 2I is xed a clip 2l bent at right angles towards the aiming arm, which clip has a slot 28 extending transversely to the line of sight and in which during the aiming proceeding and during the actuation of the aiming apparatus engages a guide pin 2S, which is fastened on the barrel 2 of the aiming arm. By this coupling the effective distance between the aiming arm and the target is ensured during the aiming proceeding.

The operation of the aiming apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is as follows:

The rifleman, by means of the rear sight 5,

-pulls back the bar I against the opposition of the striking spring, into the cocked position, that is so the catch notch of the rest piece I0 rigidly connected with bar I. The aiming arm is then leveled and the guide pin 29 introduced into a guide slot 28 of clip 21, whereby the effective distance between aiming arm and target is ensured. The easy movability of the disc carrier in forward and backward direction prevents, on the one hand, the possibility of supporting the aiming arm and, on the other hand, equalizes the considerable trembling or swaying of the body at the aiming proceeding. The parallelogram of link 24 ensures the permanently vertical position of the target 2l. The guide pin 29 and the slot 28 extending transversely to the line of sight are of such length, that the aiming arm can move over the whole surface of the target.

The person who shoots then aims through notch 5 and over sight 4 to the target 2| and pulls back the trigger I2 until the nose I Ia of the catch piece I I moves, under the iniiuence of commonly usedV guides, out of the notch of the rest piece Ill, so that the bar I can suddenly move forward under the action of the striking spring 8. The marking needle then strikes against the target 2|, which by the guide pin 29 is securely held at the eifective distance, that is according to the length of the travel of bar I and thereby ofthe marking needle 3, the needle pricking into the target 2I. The perforation produced in the target is located accurately in the direction of the line of sight extended, notch-sight, because notch 5, sight 4 and marking needle 3 are of the same height and are fixed on the same moving element i. e. the bar I. This point marked on the target 2I by the prick of the marking needle indicates therefore the point at which the gun simulation is aimed at the moment of the imaginary shot. As the forward movement of bar I takes place in opposition to the action of the buffer spring bolt I3, this bolt pushes back theY suddenly advanced bar I by a few milimeters, so that the marking needle 3 can be detached again from the target 2I and this target cannot be damaged when the arm carries out further aiming movements after the shot.

In Figs. 2 and 3 another embodiment of a part of the aiming apparatus according to the invention is shown. I designates again the bar adapted to move in a guide 2a of the barrel 2. The marking device 3U does not form part of the sight, but is mounted in the front end of bar I so that it can turn about pin 3l and bears in its effective a position against an inclined face 32 of bar I and in opposition to the action of the pressure spring 34 located in a bore 33 of bar I. When the aiming apparatus is uncooked, i. e. after a shot, the

marking device 30 rests on the front straight guide 35 of the barrel 2 and is thus accurately in is cocked for ring a shot, i. e., if the bar I is pulled back in opposition to the action o'f the striking spring 8 in accordance with the explanations given relative to Fig. l, the marking device 30 arrives at a recess 36 and, turning about pin 3| under the action of the pressure spring 34, engages into this recess 36, so that the point proper 30a of this marking device 30 is lowered from the line of sight as shown in Fig. 3. The apparatus is then cocked and when aiming through front and rear sights the point 30a is not visible for the person who is practicing the shooting and aiming. 'If then, by actuation of the trigger the bar I is released, the foot 30h of the marking needle slides out of the recess 36 onto the straight guide 35, so that thepoint 30a of the marking needle moves also in this instance accurately in the line of sight on the greatest portion of its travel towards the disc 2|.

The position of the practice gun in the hand of the operator, the sighting, the movement of the trigger and the trigger resistance correspond to those of a real gun. The scale reduction of the target 2| is such, that the aiming at this target requires the same suppositions as the aim.- ing at a more distant larger target. In order to bring out more strongly the bulls eye of the target and thereby to facilitate the aiming, the rings I to 9 and their designations may show a lighter, preferably grey color tone when the bulls eye is dark or preferably black. On either side of the target, at the height of the bulls eye, a thick, preferably black line might be arranged, to give to the practising person a guiding line along which to train the sight.

The marking needles 3 or 30a can be pointed, as shown, to directly produce a prick on the target 2|, they might, however, be blunt or hollow in order, if painted with color, to produce a coloured point on the target. The bar of the aiming arm, movable in the direction of shooting, and which carries the rear and front sights and marking device, may also be the barrel itself. In other words, the two sights and marking device would be mounted on a spring pressed bar slidable in guides on the barrel of the rifle, the bar being releasable by actuation of the trigger.

In order to be able to draw the attention of the .person who practises shooting to aiming errors made by him, an aiming-error controlling or indicating device may be mounted on the aim-V ing apparatus viewed in the direction of the shot.

Such a controlling device is shown in Fig. 4.

rThe device, which may also be provided in the aiming apparatus shown in Fig. l, consists of a plate 31 preferably colored and xed at right angles to the line of sight V near the sight 4. This plate 3'! is so large and of such shape that it is completely covered bythe notch plate 5a which forms part of the notch 5, when the person who practices aiming has taken the correct position of the sight called "medium sight, as shown in Fig. 5. If however, the sight 4 is viewed in the notch displaced to the right as shown in Fig. 8, kor to the left, as shown in Fig. 6, in upward' direction as shown in Fig. 7 or in downward direction as shown in Fig. 9, i. e. if an aiming error has been made, the plate 31 becomes then visible as a line situated at the right or at the left or above or below to the eye of the person who ,practises aiming when the sight is clamped right or left and above or below,

By aiming arm I mean either the imitation or dummy gun shown in Fig. 1 or an lactual rearm to which my invention may be applied.

AI claim:

1. Aiming apparatus with a markingA device to be released through the intermediary of the trigger of the aiming arm comprising a target coupled with said arm, a bar movably mounted on the barrel of the arm, a spring urging said bar in the direction of said target, a frontsight and a notched rear sight on said bar, a marking needle movable in the line of sight determined by said front and rear sights, the marking needle being located outside the line of sight when the aiming arm is cocked and turnable at the front end of said bar about a pin mounted in said bar and controlled by a pressure spring mounted in said bar.

2. Aiming apparatus with a marking device to be released through the intermediary of the trigger of the aiming arm comprising a target coupled with said arm, a bar movably'mounted on the barrel of the arm, a spring urging said bar in the direction of said target, a front sight and a notched rear sight on said bar, a marking needle movablel inthe line of sight determined by said front and rear sights, the marking needle being located outside the line of sight when the aiming arm is cocked and turnable at the front end of said bar about a pin mounted in said bar and controlled by a pressure spring mounted in said bar, and a recess in the guide path of said bar in the position corresponding to the cocked Iposition ofthe aiming arm.

3. Aiming apparatus with a marking device to be released through the intermediary of the trigger of the aiming arm comprising a target coupled with said arm, a bar movably mounted on the barrel of the arm, a spring urging said bar in the direction of said target, a front sight and a notched rear sight on said bar, a marking needle movable in the line of sight determined by said front and rear sights, the marking needle being located outside the line of sight when the aiming arm is cocked and turnable at thefront end of said bar about a pin mounted in said bar and controlled by a pressure spring mounted in said bar, a recess in the guide path of said bar in the position corresponding to the cocked position of the aiming arm, and a coupling ensuring the distance between the aiming arm and the target carrier consisting of a pin and slot guide extending transverse to the Iiring direction.

4. Aiming apparatus with a marking device to be released through the intermediary of the trigger of the aiming arm comprising a target coupled with said arm, a bar movably mounted on the barrel of the arm, a spring urging said bar in the direction of said target, a front sight and a notched rear sight on said bar, a marking needle movable` in the line of sight determined by said front and rear sights, and said apparatus comprising a control plate for indicating aiming errors mounted near the sight in such position and being of such dimensions with reference to the angle of vision to a part of the sight device mounted behind the same that the control plate is not visible at point blank sighting but visible when the rear sight is raised.

ALBIN GERSTENBERGER, 

